to have read this article and now be extremely scared

[littlemissmuffins]

www.independent.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus-italy-doctors-intensive-care-deaths-a9384356.html?fbclid=IwAR0YegLnP7VP6uV4nkBNCCAkoDH_UXT4JVj82nQoW_Y5z-9tMRFFSH8QcZY

Up to 10% need intensive care.
Also causing kidney and liver damage.

We have one of the lowest numbers of ICU beds per head of population in Europe.

Really scared now.

yea that's pretty scary reading

I'm starting to need some reassurance that people with asthma have beaten this thing! It sounds exactly that the sort of horrendous virus that triggers massive inflammation in asthmatics. This can happen with me with many viruses.

Scary but I think people need to be aware that it’s not the effing flu!!!!! I don’t think government are dealing with this properly.

Yeah it's not the flu. People at higher risk can get vaccinated against the flu after all

Very concerning how potentially overwhelmed the NHS could get and for those with underlying conditions.

However the '10% of infected cases needing ITU' support may be misleading - it depends on who was tested, it is likely there are many cases in the community not seeking medical attention as they are not very unwell, and those tested only represent the more severe end of the spectrum. That doesn't mean we shouldn't do our best to protect those at greatest risk.

ok. Theoretical question here.

If everybody was put under home quarantine for 3 weeks. Aside from those needing hospital treatment or working in hospital. Or other essential services such as keeping the water and gas running. Could that not stop this? People would either recover and the virus goes away or die and the virus goes away?

People will not need a huge amount of food if they are not using energy. Just a running water system.

You'd have to do it for everyone in the world or ban travel. As soon as someone comes in with the infection it starts again.

It is scary. However, I am an ICU nurse and we are getting prepared.

We can double our capacity and are learning from the experience abroad, especially Italy how to care for Coronavirus patients.

Most of us accept that we will be working many extra hours over the next few months to provide care.

We will be there for our communities, doing our very best.

@kateclarke

Thank you

@kateclarke thank you, just wanted to say that! Xxxx

Or other essential services such as keeping the water and gas running.

I work in housing. People will die if I can't do my job. DH work in IT, But without him people don't get paid their benefits and so would starve. 'Essential' jobs are everywhere. And we need transport, plumbers, lock fitters, caretakers, care workers to do our job.

It's serious and needs to be done only if the alternative is more deaths than doing it would cause.

It is scary, I appreciate the Independent publishing this letter from Italian doctors though.

I find it helpful to know more detail about the possible complications and long term health implications for myself and my family. To feel more prepared mentally for what we face nationally in the coming weeks.

@OneTimePrepper Even if it was the correct approach, the Government does not have the ability to organise and enforce such a measure.

If everybody was put under home quarantine for 3 weeks. Aside from those needing hospital treatment or working in hospital.

(I assume PP also still wants people running electricity, gas, phone & water networks to still go to work, too)

I guess that means...
no walks for dogs
no one to deliver food if you don't already have enough (or bog roll)
no carers to go to homes of vulnerable folk
no police doing anything
no firefighters
no telly or radio broadcast (their non-essential staff can't get to work)
many farm animals dying from lack of attention
no policitians or scientists telling us what's going on (maybe a good thing)
no scientists or public health managers recording what's going on, no surveillance (maybe ditto)
nobody cleaning public toilets
no public transport
no petrol stations open

could work if you locked all the carers & NHS staff into their places of work, maybe

Lots of quiet places for criminals to sneak around

Lots of quiet places for criminals to sneak around

I can assure you all the drugs dealers will be working as well.

Love the idea the drug dealers will still be working

Self employed innit

Gig economy

@kateclarke thank you

If everyone isolates themselves as much as they can, given the limitations of the things they absolutely have to do, then that will help slow things down. So no activities with groups, no socialising, no holidays. Shop once a week, or less if possible.
All helping to slow the spread. If we all really try and do this, it will help.

Stilton the stats are still very concerning- there being are a lot of uncounted mild cases doesn't negate the fact that a huge number of people need ICU treatment- far more than we have. The 10% of the 'poorly enough to have been tested' is a huge number regardless of how many poorly but untested people we have.

And I really hope social distancing, wherever possible, takes off.

So yes lots of people have to work and travel to work. Many others can work from home.
No one needs to go to the cinema, or a packed pub to watch a match.

Yes, marginal businesses are going to take a hit. That's going to happen anyway. This way could save lives.

We don't have enough ITU beds at the best of times and ITU Drs and Nurses need a lot of training. We are facing a situation where a lot could become sick themselves or need to take time off to look after children or sick relatives. I've worked in the NHS for 30 years and I'm very worried about the situation. I have a husband with severe asthma and just want him to self isolate now.

There was a Guardian article by a UK ICU doctor very recently which painted a bleak picture too...